The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute discovered new species of sponges living in the deepest depths of the Monterey Bay and marine biologists described them as "killer sponges."VIDEO: 'Killer sponges' found in Monterey BayA recently published paper co-authored by MBARI marine biologist Lonny Lundsten describes four new species of sponges that live on the ocean floor from the Pacific Northwest to Baja, California."The discovery of these species highlights the importance of biodiversity," Lundsten said. "This group of sponges is remarkable because they developed their own way of feeding."Lundsten said one of the four sponge species, asbestopluma monticola, was found and collected from the top of Davidson Seamount, an extinct underwater volcano off the Central Coast.Sponges are usually filter feeders, living off bacteria and single-cell organisms from the surrounding water. They contain specialized cells called choancytes, whose whip-like tails move continuously to create waves that bring food to the sponge.In contrast, "killer sponges" are carnivorous and do not have choancytes. They live so far beneath the ocean's surface, no sunlight reaches them."To keep beating the whip-like tails of the choancytes takes a lot of energy, and food is hard is to come by in the deep sea. So these sponges trap larger, more nutrient dense organisms, like crustaceans," Lundsten said.The sponges look like twigs or small shrubs covered with tiny hairs. The hairs consist of tightly packed bundles of microscopic hooks that trap small animals such as shrimp-like amphipods. Once an animal is trapped, it takes only a few hours for sponge cells to begin engulfing and digesting it. After several days, all that is left is an empty shell.The four species were named: Asbestopluma monticola, Asbestopluma rickettsi (named after Monterey marine biologist Ed Ricketts) Cladorhiza caillieti, and Cladorhiza evae. Try saying that four times fast!Learn more about "killer sponges" with MBARI's video below, or mobile users click here to watch.Killer sponges video

MONTEREY, Calif. —

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute discovered new species of sponges living in the deepest depths of the Monterey Bay and marine biologists described them as "killer sponges."

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"The discovery of these species highlights the importance of biodiversity," Lundsten said. "This group of sponges is remarkable because they developed their own way of feeding."

Lundsten said one of the four sponge species, asbestopluma monticola, was found and collected from the top of Davidson Seamount, an extinct underwater volcano off the Central Coast.

Sponges are usually filter feeders, living off bacteria and single-cell organisms from the surrounding water. They contain specialized cells called choancytes, whose whip-like tails move continuously to create waves that bring food to the sponge.

In contrast, "killer sponges" are carnivorous and do not have choancytes. They live so far beneath the ocean's surface, no sunlight reaches them.

"To keep beating the whip-like tails of the choancytes takes a lot of energy, and food is hard is to come by in the deep sea. So these sponges trap larger, more nutrient dense organisms, like crustaceans," Lundsten said.

The sponges look like twigs or small shrubs covered with tiny hairs. The hairs consist of tightly packed bundles of microscopic hooks that trap small animals such as shrimp-like amphipods. Once an animal is trapped, it takes only a few hours for sponge cells to begin engulfing and digesting it. After several days, all that is left is an empty shell.

The four species were named: Asbestopluma monticola, Asbestopluma rickettsi (named after Monterey marine biologist Ed Ricketts) Cladorhiza caillieti, and Cladorhiza evae. Try saying that four times fast!